The Highroad
by Dalek Prime
Summary: Drabble. Edd always tried to find a peaceful solution to every problem. Marie on the other hand, just wanted to punch someone.
A/N: I don't own Ed, Edd n Eddy or anything else mentioned

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"Have you lost all semblance of a mind, woman?!" Edd scolded "Do you have any idea what this will do to you?!"

Marie didn't answer her boyfriend right away. Instead she reached into her pocket and took out her carton of cigarettes and drew one of the tobacco sticks from the box before reaching back into her pocket for her lighter and igniting the cigarette and proceeded to smoke it. The middle Kanker always did enjoy a cigarette before a fight, she once told it calmed her nerves and kept her focused. As much as her lover despised the habit, he said nothing on the matter; besides, he currently had a lot more to worry about for her sake.

"If you go through with this fight then there's a good chance you'll be suspended—or worse—arrested!" he continued "Please Marie I'm begging you to just let bygones be bygones and walk away from this!"

The reason for Double-D's pleas for peace to the trailer park girl steamed from an event that happened earlier in the day Nazz made the big mistake of kissing the cap-hearing Ed on the cheek as a way of saying thank you for tutoring her for her algebra test; a test that she past thanks to his teachings. However, her kiss was in the line of sight of the boy's girlfriend, who did not take to this kind gesture well. During her time dating Double-D, Marie had learned to try and talk things out rather then result to letting fists fly. So she tried to ask why Nazz had laid her lips on his cheek in a stern yet still polite manner. But the response she got was less then respectful to her.

" _I was thanking him for helping me pass a test"_ the blonde's words echoed sharply in the Kanker's mind " _he could use some kindness since I doubt you give him any, you piece of white trash!_ "

After that insult, the two girls spat the vilest of words in the hallway for all to hear while Edd did everything in his power to keep Marie from strangling the cheerleader. Suddenly, Nazz demanded that they settle things after school in the construction site; weather that challenge was out of bravery or stupidity no one knew for sure. Of course, the trailer park girl couldn't refuse a fight—no matter much her beloved nerd begged her to ignore it. Now here they were, standing by a half-built house as they waited for the blonde to arrive.

"I can't let this go babe" Marie finally replied before she released a puff of smoke into the air

"Can't let th—yes! Yes you can!" Double-D nearly exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air for added effect

"It's for your honor, Double-D" she began as she took another puff of her cigarette "Didn't Jane Austin fight some bitch for Mr. Darcy's hand in marriage?"

"First off, there are so many things wrong with that sentence that I'm going to properly educate you on Pride and Prejudice when this is over" Edd corrected before getting back on track "and secondly, my honor doesn't need defending"

"Blondie thought she could just kiss you and get away with it. In my book I call that disrespect to me and you" his brutish girlfriend explained

Double-D, however, was not buying this explanation in the least.

"Marie, why are you _really_ doing this?" he questioned sternly, narrowing his eyes at her as he did

The blue-haired woman let out a sigh in defeat; she could never lie to Edd…and get away with it. She took another puff her cigarette before answering him.

"I'm sick of it, Edd" she grumbled "All of the whispers and jokes about us, I'm so done with our relationship being the butt of everyone's joke"

Ever since the two had become an item, they had been the subject of the insults and mockery of their peers. For a time the rest of the Eds and the Kankers suffered through the onslaught of cruel jokes as well, making things slightly easier for the lovers since they knew they weren'y alone. But Ed and May were to dumb to care and Lee quickly silenced anyone who dared to laugh at her and Eddy.

Now normally, Marie would pummel these idiots for so much as a snicker at her expense, but her lover kept her calm and collected throughout it all. He would tell her to not to pay attention to their petty jokes and assure her that eventually it all would blow over soon. But much the trailer park girl's chagrin, it only increased and today was the tipping point for her.

"I know your upset darling; believe me, I to feel that same pain" Double-D said soothingly

"Well you certainly hide it well enough" his lover replied a tad too sharply

"I try not to let it get to me" Edd defended "and neither should you"

"Well I'm not like you!" Marie shot back "I'm sick of our relationship being looked at like some gag! You may be ok with being treated like dirt for being in love with me, but I've had it!"

"So you think beating Nazz half to death will make things better?" he asked harshly "that'll only add more fuel to the fire!"

"It works pretty well for Lee" she grunted

"How your sister and Eddy deal with hecklers is their problem" the brains behind the Edd countered as his tone became softer "You don't have to be like her"

"Why are you so against this anyway?" the blue-haired girl growled "afraid I'll lose to that bitch?"

"Quite the opposite I assure you" Double-D corrected "aside from Lee and Ed when he's in a bad mood, you're one of the strongest people in Peach Creek"

This was true, even before their time together had began, the cap-wearing Ed had witness the middle Kanker perform psychical feats that he thought were impossible. The teen once enacted a test to see the limits of strength and found that she was capable of bench pressing Rolf's tractor with ease. Marie chalked up her raw power to dead-lifts and a high-protein diet while her boyfriend was left flabbergasted by his findings.

In other words: Nazz stood a snowball's chance in hell against Marie.

"I just want you to take the highroad on this and not do anything drastic" he continued "If you throw so much as a single punch, then you'll confirm that you're the brute that everyone thinks you are!"

Rather than be taken aback from his words, the trailer park girl only grunted at them as she continued her smoke. The truth of it was that she was the brute that everyone made her out be and she at peace with it. Double-D, however, clearly wasn't.

"You know as I recall, you didn't exactly tell me to chill out when I beat the snot outta people back when we weren't together" Marie scoffed "this isn't _my_ image at stake here; it yours!"

The mental hit Edd took from that remark hurt worse then anything he had been physically hit with. Just from the hurt in the boy's eyes, Marie knew that she hit struck a nerve. Had this been anyone else, she'd be laughing right in their faces as she watched them mentally crumble at her feet. But this was Double-D, _her_ Double-D and she instantly felt rotten inside for the words she had just said.

"Eddward…I—"she attempted to say

"Well look at is!" Nazz's voice cut in from afar

The Kanker and her lover turned to see Nazz who was accompanied by Kevin, Rolf and the rest of the Cul-De-Sac kids. Even Eddy, Lee, Ed and May where there to see the fight. Eddy was of course placing bets on the outcome of the obviously one-sided match. Marie took one more look at her lover, who merely looked away from her. Without finding the right words to say to him, she put out her cigarette and approached the blonde, who walked toward her as well.

Soon enough, the two girls were face to face. While Marie had become numb to the fight since she knew that would be the clear victor, she could clearly see the fear in Nazz's eyes, who knew she made a huge mistake on her end. A part of the blue-haired girl wanted nothing more than to break her nose and call it a day, but she knew that if she threw that punch, she'd certainly lose the boy she loved. So with a defeated sigh, she knew what she had to do.

"Ok look Nazz, normally I'd One Punch Man you into next Tuesday and go have a smoke" she began

"One Punch what?" her opponent asked

" _I've been watching too many anime's with Ed and May_ " Marie thought to herself before continuing "Forget it, look, I've lost the drive to murder your face off and I'm pretty sure your regretting setting up this fight, right?"

"Uh-huh!" the blonde responded

"So how about this: you just say you're sorry for being a hoe earlier and I'll call us even" the trailer-park girl suggested

"I'm sorry!" the other girl cried out "I'm so sorry! I only challenged you because I wanted to look big in front of everyone! I swear I won't do it again!"

Nazz then attempted to embrace the Kanker in a warm hug, but was denied when Marie stuck her arm out and stop her dead in her tracks.

"You better not" she warned darkly "or else I might not be as forgiving next time, got it?"

"Y-yes ma'am" Nazz complied meekly

"Good. Now take your friends and beat it" the Kanker commanded

With a quick nod in response, she quickly ran back to her friends while Marie returned to her boyfriend's side, who smiled proudly at her.

"You did the right thing, darling" he said to her as he kissed her cheek "granted, you still quite exactly be the bigger girl in the metaphorically sense, but as long as your not being hauled away in the back of police car, I'm proud of you"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm all heart" she shrugged off, playfully punching her arm as she did "C'mon babe, I need a smoke"

With that that, Edd took her hand in his own and walked away from the crowd, who were currently demanding a refund from the thrown fight.


End file.
